Friday, May 25, 2007

Apple's Grey Flannel Navigator (1988)

Of all the paleo-futuristic concept videos we've looked at in the past four months, the future depicted in Grey Flannel Navigator may have been the most accurate. Granted, it's the safest but computer networking and ordering pizza through your computer was pretty visionary for 1988. The assumption that we need an image of a person as an interface seems to be where most of these videos fall down.

Below are all three parts of the 1988 Apple concept video Grey Flannel Navigator. Thanks again to Keith C. for the video.

It's interesting that it focuses on the chief concerns of the '80s -- making money. Nowhere does he use his computer for entertainment, education, or even social interaction. Also, the cool blue light everything is bathed in -- by part three I found myself depressed for the poor sod. I wonder if this is a subtle commentary on how the internet could go *wrong*, diguised as an optimistic view of the future. After all, he uses his computer to work . . . all the time, at every moment. And while he seems happy, he is always and perpetually alone, at home or at the office, always separated from others by his cubicle. Even his fish are plastic.

Love the futuristic blue jumpsuit, the splashes of color in the greyness of the interface, and were they dead / plastic fish? Was that a joke? wtf!? And hows that power career woman of the future! She'll tell you what she wants!!! But yes it's a very boring future it seems, and like that early apple ad with Kevin Constner, they still don't really know how to hold a mouse! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaiC_hBQfAs